Piano



l. H. WILLIAMS.

PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED luLY 6.1921.

Patented Aug; 1, 1922-.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l JamesE/ZZiam J. H. WILLIAMS.

PIANO.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 5,1921.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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'A lu/M1360 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. vILllIAMS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Specication of Letters Patent.

vlatented Aug. 1, 1922.

Application filed Juiy 6, 152i ,sriai no. 452,719.

clearkand `exact description of the inventiini,v

,such as willv enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to maire and 'use the same.

The object `oi the invention lis to provide a sound board supportin91` iframe for pianos, wliereby the volume and duration or sustaining `quality as vrell as lthe breadth'o'f the tone are Vincreased by amplityingl theagencies responsive to vibrationsreceived by the sound board ,l from the strings, and more especially in providing,supplemental tone responsive `agencies ytvhich y areV particularly `sensitive to the overtones and harmonics, t which o. under ordinary r`lcircumstances, are lost after a brief period, through the prei `dominance of theffundamentals or basicv tones to `which the 'frame itself isordinarily more directly "responsive andv hence, by prolonging the vibrations 'which represent the overtones and harmonics, maintaining` ,the

richness and 'fullness of each tone substantially throughout the duration ot thevibra- V tionsrepresenting the 'tundamentalor basic tones; and with ,this general object in vienT combination A and arrangement of elements of .which a typical embodiment is illustrated adapting` the invention to diii'erent maires departing from the principles involved.

Figures 4L and 5 are Vertical sectional views of the saine, respectively on the planes .indicated by the lines lf-l and 5 5 of Fig-L ure i.. t

Figures 6 and! Y are enlarged detailsec tionaly views onl the `planes indicated respeci vthe inventionI consists in `a construction,

and types of musical instruments, Without tively by the lines 6 6 and 7-7 of Figures Figure a vievv oiE a sound boardirame corresponding `Withtlligure l, ivhereindiagfnal'brac'es are employed `in `addition to the vertical braciiig'for iller"meinbers.

FiguresQ and l() are lhorizontal sectional views, respectively on the planes indicated 'by they lines 9:-9 and 10i-l0 'ot'Figure 8; I

AFigure ll isa detail view in perspective offene corner of: the sound board supportingframe.' j' I `The sound board supporting' frame which has been 'selected as va r'neans-"o"'l2 illustrating` the invention yconsists of marginal upper and lovverinembersZO and "2l and marginalv ""sideA members'l 22 and ivithinttliis marginal frame, inthe forin'shoivnin Figures it to 7 inclusive, are arranged the upright bracing `or filler members Q3, usually arranged in spaced relation as shown, and in intersecting "relation With theiipper and loivei" members 9,0 and 21, thefiront surfaces ofthe bracingr or filler members, however, being set back slightly from the plane ofthecorresponding surfaces of the marginal members so thatthe' sound board 24 which rests upon andis secured tothe marginal members of 4fthe frame isintermediately` out of contact vWith the bracing orfiller members and hence is `free to'vibrat'e. The edges of the sound board also may be and are preferably spaced slightly from adjacent ,abutting objects, such las 'the casing, in `Which the iramefis hous'ed, so `as to avoid any tendency to bind or interfere ivith the freedomof vibration l of `the sound board.

yThe marginal, frame members are pro- `vigdednvvith channels 26 extendingT longitudinally thereof ivilth their extremitieszstop'ped l or interrupted to` prevent communication In the drawings which are designed more particularly to show lthe application of the.

ivith'the atmosphere` and hencelto prevent yloss ofv longitudinal vibration of .air confined in said channels through open ends thereof, and While preferably the ends oi the channels o in intersecting marginal'y members are in communication, asclearly shown in Figure l, it ivill be understood that, ivhereas inn the `side members, modifications of this arrangement may, underpcke'rtain circumstances, be adopted or 'found preferable as, for' example, omitting the channel in the upper marginal `member" to theend that the otherwise continuous channel 'formed in the lower and side members terminates at or near the upper ends ol? the side members as, tor example, at or about the dotted line a-a in Figure l.

Furtl'iernlore, the bracing or liller members 23 are likewise provided with longitudinal channels 2i', which may be and preferably are in communication terminally with intersecting channels in the marginal members. Vilhereas the channels 26 of the marginal members, however, are covered and closed by the sound board, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, in the construction illustrated, and whereas the sound board constitutes the outer or front wall of these channels in the marginal frame, the front walls oit the channels in the bracing or tiller members 23, due to the tact that said members are spaced from the plane of the sound board, are provided with thin walls 28, consisting of strips oit wood held in place by glue or lilre adhesive material and exposed directly to the etliect of the vibrations ot' the sound board through the agency oi the intervening layer ot' air due to the spaced relation above mentioned. lrloreover, whereas the channels in the marejinal men'ibers are provided with lateral vents or outlets 29, designed to permit of the connnunication oi vibrations of the air set up or communicated thereto by the sound board to the enclosed columns oit air in the channels 26, the channels in the bracing or filler members 23 are provided with vents or outlets 30, pre'li-irably formed in the iront or outer thin wall 9S, so as to be in direct Facing' relation with the sound board as a means ot providing,l for the communication oli vibrations communicated .tlfroup'h the interposed layer oi air between the sound board and said bracing' members to the columns of air in the channels 27 through the openings or vents 30 as well as through the relatively thin walls Formed by the strips 2S.

ln the construction illustrated, there is provided, in addition to the channels above described, what may be termed for convenience a siuiplemcutal or auxiliary, depressed channel ill toi-ined in the marginal trame (including, 'tor example, the upper and lower and both si le members) which is arranged in a plane parallel with the channels hereinbe'liore described as being` iormed in the ma r- Qinal and filler members, said. auxiliary or depressed channel being in couununication with 'the channels 26 in the side marginal members by vents or openings 32, and a thin partition wall 33 being interposed between said channels Bl. and 2G. nd when this construction is 'followed the side marginal members are pre'teably of sectionalv construction and embody the main or base sern tions 22a and strips or supplemental sections 22h which latter rest upon the partition walls 33. When this construction of tiered or a plurality of parallel channels is employed, the extremities oit the channels 27 in the bracinn or liller members 23 preferably communicate with the supplemental or depressed channel il, or the portions of said channel which traverse the ripper and lower members ol the marginal trame as will be clearly noted by reference particularly to l? i gure 5.

Vlt will be noted. however, that the extremities yot the channels 3l formed in the mar ginal members are stopped longitudinally althou 'h in communication with the portions oit the channels vliormed in the intersectingmembers ol" the marginal iframe so that whereas there is what may be termed a continuous channel 3l extendinp through the top, bottom and side members of the marginal. iframe, parallel with the plane of the channels 26, the only vents or outlets lrom said channel are lateral and therefore that there is provision 'tor a longitudinal responsive vibration ol the columns of air in the several comniunicating` portions of the channel. There also responsive vibration ol the air in the channels 27 of the bracing or liller members and the columns of air in the channel 3l, or the portions thereof with which said channels 27 communicate and there is responsive vibration communicated through the vents or openings 32 between the columns o'l air in the portions oi the channels 2G 'toi-med in the side members of the marginal trame and the channels 8l which are locuterfl beneath and in parallelism therewith.

h'loi'eover, in the modilied construction illustrated in Figures S to 1G, inclusive, where the diagonal corner brai'finvf or filler members 35i are added to the upright bracing' or `liller members i223", channels 34- are provided. to he covered by the sound board and having' tern'iinal communication with the channel 96% ctn-responding in arrange ment with the channel 26 shown in Fignu'es i to T, inclusive. and provided at the surfaces o'lt the marginal trame members. ln other respects., inclusive ot the depressed channel ill, the constructirm illustrated in llij nu'es Si to l0. inclusive, corresponds with that which was prevoiously describe-fl and the channels 27a oi" the uprigljht bracing or filler n'ielnbers are covered by the thin walls 52S, which are spared :trom the adjacent surlacc ol the sound board 24 and are pro- 'vifled with the openings or vents 30a. Y

lllhat is claimed is:

l. 'piano having' a marginal sound board supportingF Ytrame oiE which the members are providerh in planes 'parallel with the sound boa rd, with a pluralit;Y oit longtudinal channels arranged at diill'ierent. distances Ytrom the plane ot the sound board.

2. A piano having a marginal sound lll) board supporting frame of Which the members are provided in planes parallel With the sound board, With a plurality of longitudi nal terminally stopped channels, disposed at different distances from the plane of the sound board. y

A piano having a marginal sound board supporting frame of which the members are provided in planes parallel With the sound board, with a plurality of longitudinal terminally stopped channels disposed at different distances from the plane of the soundV board, the corresponding channels in intersecting members of the frame being arranged in terminal communication.`

a. A piano having a marginal sound board support-ing frame `of Which the members are provided in planes parallel with the sound board, with a plurality of longitudinal terminally stopped channels disposed at different distances from the plane of the sound board, said channels being transversely in communication.

5. A piano having a marginal sound board supporting frame of which the members are provided in planes parallel with the sound board, With a plurality of longitudinal terininally stopped channels disposed at different distances from the plane of the soundy board, said channels -being transversely in communication at spaced points.

6. A piano having a marginal sound board' supporting frame of which the members are provided in planes parallel With the sound i board, With a plurality of longitudinal terminally stopped channels disposed ait differ- `ent distances from the plane of the sound board, said channels being separated by relatively thin Walls. i

7. A piano having a marginal sound board supporting frame of which the members are provided in planes parallel With the sound board, With a plurality of longitudinal terminally stopped channels disposed at different distances from the plane of the sound board, one of said channels being laterally closed by the sound board.

8. A piano having a sound `board supporting frame including marginal and filler ginal members, the filler members being ar-` ranged With their channelled faces in spaced relation With the plane of the sound board.

10. A piano having a sound board supporting frame including marginal and filler members of which the former have surface and depressed parallel channels extending longitudinally thereof and of which the latter have channels extending longitudinally thereof and in terminal communication with one of the channels in the intersecting marginal members, the surface channels of the marginal members being covered and closed by the sound board and the fi'ller members having their channeled faces spaced from the plane of the sound board and covered by relatively thin Walls.

11. A piano having a sound board supporting frame including marginal and filler members of which the former have surface and depressed parallel. channels extending longitudinally thereof and of Which the latter have channels extending longitudinally thereof and in terminal communication with one of the channels in the intersecting mar,- ginal members, the surface channels of the marginal `members being covered and closed 12. A piano having a sound board supporting frame, including marginal and filler members of which the former are provided with surface and depressed parallel channels extending longitudinally thereof and of which the latter areV provided with surface channels terminally communicating With the depressed channels of the intersecting marginal members and covered by relatively thin Walls.

13.l A piano having a sound board supporting frame, including marginal and filler members of which the former are provided with surface and depressed parallel channels extending longitudinally thereof and of Whichthe latter are provided with surface channels terminally communicating With the depressed channels of the intersecting Inarginal members and covered by relatively thin Walls, having perforations arranged at spaced points therein.

14. A piano having marginal and filler members of which the former are provided with surface `and depressed parallel channels. extending longitudinally thereofand the latter are provided With surface channels terminally communicating with the depressed channels of the marginal members, and having thin channel covering Walls facing and in spaced relation With the sound board.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature.

l JAMES H. WILLIAMS. 

